Band-cutter and feeder.



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BAND yCUTTER AND EEEDEE APPLICATION FILED DEU. 20, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1. f

lnvento Witnsses ttor'neys rn: :vonnis versus co., Misma-cron, u, c.

No. 835,182. PATDNTED NoN', zo, 1906.

D. U. DowN.

BAND GUTTER AND FEEDER.

.APPLICTION FILED DBO. 20, 1905.

n a SHEETS-SHEET z.

HIJ r.

Attorneys E. u. DOWN. BAND CUTTER AND FEEDER.-

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.20, 1905.

Y WfT/VSES.- 251726531 WZ [NMEA/TOR y By I rm: Mamas PETERS ca, wAsHlNsraN, n. c.

PAT-ENTED NGV. 20, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEETS.

IINITEI) STATES PATENT orrion.

BAND-CUTTER AND FEEDER.

`Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov'. 2o, 190e.

Application filed December ZO, 1905. Serial No. 292,604.

1'0 LU whom, it' Wray concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST U. DowN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bowling Green, in the county of Wood and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Band-Cutters and Feeders, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to threshing-machines; and it has among its objects to simplifyand improve the construction and operation of the same with special reference to the mechanism for feeding the grain to the cylinder and concave comprising the threshing mechanism.

Another ob" ect of the invention is to present a feeding apparatus or mechanism which shall be more particularly adapted to operate upon bound grain, such as wheat, oats, harley, rye, iiax, and the like.

Another object of the invention is to present an improved mechanism for governing the movement of the apparatus at high and low speeds.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that'changes, alterations, and modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing a portion of a threshing-machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional View showing the governors mounted upon the saw-carrying shaft. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the yhigh-speed governor, taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, showing part of the saw-carrying shaft and the picker-shaft with the high and low speed governors and related parts. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view showing a portion of one of the governor-disks and the pawls connected therewith. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view illustrating a modication of a portion of the device.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

The casing 1 of the threshing-machine is provided with bearings for a shaft 2, carrying the threshing-cylinder 3, having teeth 4.

5 designates a con'cave,which is of ordinary construction.

Supported for rotation almost directly above the cylinder-carrying shaft 2 is a shaft 6, carrying a drum or cylinder 7, which is provided with large flat radiating teeth 8, having curved engaging edges 9 and straight back edges 10. These picker-teeth, as they are termed, are intended to be spaced' about four inches apart, more or less, and the picker-cylinder is made to rotate in the same direction as the threshing-cylinder,y as indicated in the drawings by arrows.

Forward of the threshing and picking cylinders and intermediate between the shafts of the latter there is supported for rotation a shaft 1 1, carrying a drum-cylinder 12, having radially-extending massive teeth 13, which may be bolted or otherwise very firmly se*- curedupon the cylinder 12. The teeth 13 Iare of such length as to interlap with the teeth of the threshing-cylinder, with which they are intercurrently disposed; but theteeth of the picker-cylinder, hereinbefore referred to, terminate short of the teeth 13, as well as of the teeth of the threshing-cylinder.

Instead of making the teeth 8 andi?)l of the peculiar shape illustrated in Fig. 1 it may be preferred to make them of the peculiarly-` curved or sigmoidal form illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

In the upper forward part of the mouth or throat of the threshing-machine there is supported for rotation a shaft 14, upon which circular saw-toothed cutters, as 15, are mounted, said cutters being suitably spaced apart upon the carrying-shaft. These cutters are for the purpose of severing the bands of bundles of grain that are fed to the machine.

Supported detachably in front ofand adj a-Y cent to the concave 5 of the threshing-machine, which it slightly overlaps, is a feed-plate 16, upon which rests the lower discharge end of an inclined trough or casing 17, which projects in an upward direction forward of the cylinder 12 and terminates beneath the band-cutting saws. Supported upon said trough and connected therewith by means of IOO IIO

straps or braces 18 is an inclined table 19, over which the straw is guided as it passes out of engagement with the band-cutting saws. The upper end of the trough 17 1s sup orted by cranks or eccentrics 20 upon a sha lt 21, whereby when said shaft is rotated a vibratory movement will be communicated to the trough 17.

The feeder-carrier comprises a troughcomposed of two parts or sections-namely, the upper section 22 and the lower section 23- said sections being hingedly connected, as by means of strap-hinges 24, disposed upon the under sides of the side members of said trough-sections. The upper trough-section is provided with brackets 25, hingedly engaging a supporting-shaft 26, which latter carries the upper supporting-drum 27 of the endless conveyer or draper 28, the lower end of which is supported by a drum 29 upon a shaft 30 at the lower end of the trough-section 23.

Suitably connected with the latter is a flexible supporting element, such as a wire cable 31, which is guided to a winding-drum 32 over a suitably-supported guide-pulley 33. By means of this supporting element the carrier when extended for use may be sustained with its receiving end at various elevations to receive bundles placed thereupon from the ground from the top of a stack, or from any intermediate point. It is also capable of being easily and quickly adjusted to any desired position, as will be readily understood. At the proximate upper corners of the trough members 22 and 23 are supported pulleys 34 35, and these pulleys vwhen the feeder-carrier is folded will take up the slack of the flexible supporting member 31, as will be readily seen 1n Fig. 1 of the drawings, where the feeder-carrier has been represented in dotted lines in a folded position. The carrier in this position may be sustained for transportation by means of a hook 36, connected with the casing of the machine and engaging a staple in the trough-section 23.

When the feeder-carrier isl in position for operation, if it shall be desired to have access to the cylinder or concave of the threshingmachine for the purpose of tightening the teeth or for any other reason the feed-plate 16 may be removed, and the trough 17 may then be swung back under the feeder-carrier and supported temporarily in suchposition, as by means of a hook 37, connected with the trough 17 and adapted to engage a staple 38 upon the carrier-section 22.

It will be observed that the feeder-carrier is sodisposed as to discharge directly beneath the band-cutting saws, the peripheries of the latter being spaced about three inches, more or less, from the discharge end of the carrier.

It is important to the successful operation of the invention that proper speed of the vathe lutions, and the carrier-shaft 26 thirty revolutions per minute. The foregoing figures represent the rate of s eed of the operative parts of the machine w ich it is desirable to maintain, it being of course understood that the speed of various parts will vary with that of the cylinder, from the shaft of which motion is transmitted direct to the saw-carrying shaft 14, on which are mounted the speed-governing devices to be hereinafter described. From the saw-carrying shaft 14 motion is transmitted to the shafts 6, 11, 21, and 26, substantially as indicated in Fig. 1

of the drawings, it being, however, understood A that the precise arrangement of driving means shown in said figure is not absolutely essential, but that it may be varied to -any extent within the sco e of the invention.

The operation of t ie part of the invention which has been thus far described will be readily understood. The carrier having been adjusted to the proper position to enable the bundles of grain to be readily placed thereon, the said bundles will be conveyed thereby to the delivery end of the carrier, where the bundles will be subjected to the action of the band-cutting saws. These will not only cut the bands, but will scatter, tear asunder, and loosen the straw and fling or feed the same in a rearward direction over the feed-table 19 and in the direction of the tooth-carrying cylinder 7, which operates as a picker to loosen and shake up the straw and also as a detainer and carrier, -whereby the straw is moved forwardly and downwardly in the direction of the toothcarrying cylinder 12, which I call the revolving concave, for the reason that the sets or series of teeth upon said cylinder cooperate with the teeth of the threshing-cylinderin the same manner as do the teeth of the ordinary stationary concave, the difference being that by the slow rotation of the cylinder 12 the material that is being operated upon will be fed slowly and gradually to the threshing-cylinder or between the threshingcylinder and the stationary concave instead of being suddenly and forcibly thrust between said cylinder and concave, as is usually the case. lt will be seen then that the pickercylinder will be assisted by the revolving concave in tearing the grain apart, owing to the slower speed at which the concave is rotated, 'rain being delivered on top of the thresliing-cylinder. At the same time the picker-cylinder operates to detain the grain and to prevent it from being drawn too rap- IOO idly in the direction of the threshing-cylinder, the normal full rate of speed of the cylinder 7 being but forty as against twelve hundred of the threshing-cylinder. By the coperation with the latter of the revolving concave .the material will be subjected to a thorough preliminary threshing before it is delivered between the threshing-cylinder and the stationary concave, so that the operation performed by said cylinder and stationary concave is practically in the nature of a rethreshing, whereby the separation of the grain from the straw is faci itated and promoted` Loose grain, chaff, and litterings from the bundle-carrier will drop into the trough 17 and will be fed from the latter direct between the threshing-cylinder and the stationary concave over the removable feed-plate 16, which supports the lower end of the vibratory trough 17.

In connection with the improved feeding device herein described there are employed governing devices, operable, respectively, at high and at low speed, which have been illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings, where 14 designates the saw-carrying shaft upon which the governors are mounted, H being the high-speed governor and L the low-speed governor. Each of said governors includes a friction member F and a clutch member C. The friction member is composed of a hub 51, carrying a disk; 52, having an annular peripheral iiange 53, around the outer surface of which a belt or band (not shown) may pass and the inner circumference of which constitutes a friction-surface. The clutch member comprises a hub 54, having a disk 55 fitting within the flange 53 and having pivotally secured thereto a pair of frictionshoes 56, which are disposed on diametrically opposite sides. The disk 55 is provided with pairs of flanges 57, between which are placed cylindrical weights 5S, said weights being of suitable size to fit between said flanges, the hub, and the friction-shoes when the latter are in inactive position, as will be 'seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The disk 55 of the clutch member of each governor is provided with lugs 68, which, in conjunction with the hub 54, serve to support pins 68. Springs 71 are provided, which in the low-speed governor connect the brake-shoes 56 with the pins 68, said springs being of suitable predetermined tension. In the high-speed governor, however, means are provided for the adjustment of the tension of the springs, said meansincluding a sleeve 59, abutting upon the extremity of the shaft 14. Upon this sleeve is placed a collar 60,having a flange 61, serving to retain in position thereon a disk 62. Said disk isconnected slidably with the hub 54 of the high-speed governor H by a pin 62a, and the sleeve 59 is transversely slotted, as shown at 63, for the passage of a pin or bolt 64, which extends transversely through the collar 60, said pin or bolt being provided with a transverse threaded aperture 65 for the passage of an adjusting-bolt 66, which extends longitudinally through the sleeve 59 and is provided with a head 67, bearing against the outer extermity of the sleeve. The springs 7l of the high-speed governor are guided over rollers 69, mounted upon the ins 68', and through apertures 70, formed in the disk 55, the inner ends of the springs being connected with .the friction-shoes 56, while the outer ends of said springs are connected with diametrically opposite sides of the disk 62.

'It will be seen that by turning the bolt 66 the cross-pin 64, with the collar 60, may be adjusted in an inward or outward direction, together with the disk 62, to which the end of the springs 71 are. attached, thus loosening or tightening said springs according to the direction in which the bolt is turned. It will be also understood that while the clutch member, the sleeve 59, the collar 60, and the disk 62 normally rotate together the sleeve 59 and collar 60 may be grasped while the clutch member and the disk 62 continue to rotate, thus enabling the tension of the springs to be regulated and adjusted while the device is inoperation and without necessity for slowing down or stopping the machine.

The clutch members C of the high and low speed governors are in practice keyed upon or mounted for rotation with the shaft 14, so that when the latter is rotated the centrifugal force thus generated will force the frictionshoes into engagement with the friction-rings 53 against the tension of the springs 71. Consequently the tension of these springs has to be overcome before the friction-shoes will grip the friction member. The springs of the low-speed governor will be of a predetermined tension, which will enable the frietion-shoes of said low-speed governor to engage the friction member at a predetermined moderate speed, while the springs of the highspeed governor will be placed under a tension that will prevent the friction-shoes of said high-speed governor from engaging the friction member until a predetermined high speed has been attained, the springs of said high-speed governor being capable of adjustment, so that the speed at which the friction-shoes shall engage the friction member may be regulated.

Upon the shaft 14, adjacent to the high and low speed governors, respectively, are placed sprocket-wheels, (designated, respectively H and L,) said sprocket-wheels being loosely supported upon the shaft and retained by means of set-collars 75. The hubs 51 of the clutch members of the respective governors are provided with recesses 76, in

.which are seated springs 77 and pins 7 8, the

latter being forced outwardly by the action of IOO ISO

the springs andprovided with beveled outer ends 79, adapted to engage beveled recesses 80 in the adjacent sides of the sprocketwheels H and L. Upon the picker-shaft 6 there are mounted sprocket-wheels 8l and 82, the former of which is of smaller diameter than the latter. The sprocket-wheel 81 is firmly secured upon the shaft 6 and is connected with the sprocket-wheel H by means of a chain 88. The sprocket-wheel 82 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 6 and is connected with the sprocket-wheel L by means of a chain 84. The sprocket-wheel 82 carries a spring-actuated pawl 85, engaging aratchetwheel 86, which latter vis mounted securely upon the shaft 6. The latter shaft has a pinion 87, meshing with an idle spur-wheel 88,

mounted for rotation upon a stub-shaft 89 and connected with a sprocket-pinion 90, from which motion is transmitted, as by a link belt 91, to the shaft 11.

It will be seen that under the construction described when sufficient speed of the shaft 14 is attained, said shaft being driven direct from the cylinder-shaft, the frictionshoes of the high-speed governor will grip the friction member and cause the latter to rotate, together with the sprocket H, driven thereby, and thus transmitting motion to the shaft 6 and to other parts of the machinery. If for any reason, such as overfeeding or slugging of the machine orthe presence of bundles of wet, tangled, or matted grain, the speed should fall below the normal high average, the low-speed governor will take up the load and will transmit motion throu h the sprocket L and related parts to the s aft 6, so that the operation of the machine will not be interrupted, but will proceed at a relatively low speed.

The Alow-speed clutch rotates the shaft 6 initially, and as the rotation of the shaft 14 increases in speed the low-speed clutch ceases to operate, and the high-speed clutch takes up such operation.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed isl. In a feeding device for threshing-machines, band-cutting saws supported for rotation, a picker-cylinder supported for rotation in the rear of and beneath the band-cutting saws and having teeth to intercept and loosen material thrown rearwardly by the saws and to convey `the same in the direction of the threshing-cylinder, and a cylinder supported for rotation between and in advance of the picker-cylinder and threshing-cylinder and having teeth interlapping with the teeth of the threshing-cylinder.

2. In a feeding device for threshing-machines, band-cutting saws supported for rotation, a picker-cylinder supported for rotation in the rear of and beneath the band-cutting saws and having teeth to intercept and loosen material thrown rearwardly by the saws and to convey the same in the direction of the threshing-cylinder, the band-cutting saws being geared for rapid rotation with relation to the gearing of the picker-cylinder,v

and a cylinder supported for rotation between and in advance of the picker-cylinder and the threshing-cylinder and having teeth interlapping with the teeth of the threshingcylinder.

3. In a feeding device for threshing-machines, band-cutting saws supported for rotation, a picker-cylinder supported for rotation in the rear of and beneath the band-cutting saw's and having teeth to intercept and loosenmaterial thrown rearward by the saws and to convey the same in the direction of the threshing-cylinder, a cylinder supported for rotation betweenand in advanceof the pickercylinder and the threshing-cylinder and having teeth interlapping with the teeth of the threshing-cylinder, the rotating parts being so positioned with relation to each other that a line drawn from the aXis of the saws to the aXis of the threshing-cylinder will intercept at an angle and a line drawn from the axis of the picker-cylinder to the aXis of the cylinder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST U. DOWN.

Witnesses:

'NELLIE REIDER, IRENE WINTON. 

